Skip to content
MovieCove
When She Was Bad...

When She Was Bad...

TV movie1979100 minMidcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
Director
Peter H. Hunt
Starring
Cheryl Ladd, Robert Urich, Eileen Brennan, Dabney Coleman

Stressed by a recent move and being a stay-at-home mom, Teeny takes out her bottled-up rage on her daughter Robbie. Only the help of her friends, family and counselors can stop her from harming Robbie and herself.

Where to watch

Where can I watch When She Was Bad...?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists When She Was Bad... streaming on Pluto TV (free), Prime Video, The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Subscription

FreeFreeFreeFree

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about When She Was Bad...?

When She Was Bad... earns 1 badge: Unsettling.

Reception

Is When She Was Bad... worth watching?

When She Was Bad...'s Midcredits score is the 38th percentile of all films, from 334 ratings across 3 sources. 41% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

38th percentile

Better received than 38% of films

35th percentile among Drama37th percentile among 1970s
Acclaim (how much people like it)38th
Approval (how many liked it)39th

58 /100

38th percentile of all films

35th percentile among Drama34th percentile among 1970s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.0 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

41% liked it

39th percentile of all films

35th percentile among Drama41st percentile among 1970s
41% rated it 7–1059% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

32nd percentile

334 ratings across platforms

34th percentile among Drama31st percentile among 1970s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 6% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A TV-movie about a stressed mother who abuses her daughter, with strong acting but a script and tone that divide viewers on its effectiveness and message.

Fans praised

  • Cheryl Ladd's dramatic range as an unlikeable yet realistic abuser
  • unflinching portrayal of maternal child abuse without making the mother a monster
  • Robert Urich's performance as a neglectful, unsupportive husband

Detractors panned

  • glossy production undermines gritty subject matter
  • Ladd's coiffed, manicured appearance weakens the realism
  • flat script and dubious moral messaging around abuse and responsibility

What stands out

ActingDivisive67

Ladd's dramatic range praised by fans; detractors call her performance mediocre and too glamorous

Emotional impactDivisive55

Tear-jerking for fans; detractors feel manipulated and unmoved

CharactersDivisive48

Mother written as realistic and sympathetic to fans; detractors see a flat abuser with dubious motivations

DialogueDivisive42

Script effective at setting up stress per fans; detractors call it tame and flat

Plot and storyDivisive40

Realistic stress buildup praised by fans; detractors find it dull, illogical, and morally questionable

Pacing40

Final parts drag for some fans; detractors call the film dull and slow

OriginalityDivisive35

Unusual for 1979 to focus on maternal abuse; detractors say it's derivative of earlier TV-movies

Ending30

Forgiveness ending feels forced and unsatisfying to both camps

Watch experience

What is When She Was Bad... like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Harrowing: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for a hard story that does not look away.

It is intense, takes its time and leaves you unsettled. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings and patience.

What it feels like

Harrowing.

Moods
TenseMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Bleak · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its difficult subject matter with earnest gravity, never undercutting the seriousness of child abuse.
The rideThe film maintains a constant undercurrent of anxiety, punctuated by outbursts, culminating in a suicide attempt and its aftermath.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically as Teeny's stress builds, leading to abuse, hospitalization, suicide attempt, and resolution.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Unsettled.

The answer rests on this: UnsettlingThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe film stays with you as a harrowing look at maternal child abuse, leaving you unsettled and reflecting on the cycle of abuse.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Tragedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% (this title) · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Corruption arc: Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).

9% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe film follows a mother's descent into abusive behavior due to stress and neglect, leading to a crisis that forces change—a corruption arc tragedy.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfMentalillness
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% (this title) · Mental illness 1% (this title) · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

Mental illness · 1% of filmsTrauma · 7% of filmsFamily bonds
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on Teeny's psychological unraveling due to isolation and stress, her child abuse, and the strain on her marriage and motherhood.
StanceThe film warns about the dangers of untreated mental illness and spousal neglect by depicting their devastating consequences for a family.

The world

ContemporarySuburbanDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Perry Botkin Jr.
Settinga new suburban home in a small American town, late 1970s
MusicBotkin Jr. was a prolific TV composer; his score likely underscores the tense domestic drama.

Content guide

Is When She Was Bad... okay for kids?

As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (78/100), sexual content at mild (33/100), language at mild (33/100), drug and alcohol content at severe (100/100) and frightening material at severe (100/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Overall
Intense · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Intense
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Profanity
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Alcohol & Drugs
Severe
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Frightening / Intense
Severe
too few votes to rank (1 vote)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (7 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does When She Was Bad... have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in When She Was Bad...?

Cast

Cheryl Ladd
as Betina 'Teeny' Morgan
Robert Urich
as Bob Morgan
Eileen Brennan
as Mary Jensen
Dabney Coleman
as Jack Wilson
Marcia Lewis
as Gloria
Ramon Bieri
as Dr. Gilbert
Nicole Eggert
as Robbie Morgan
Michael Flanagan
as Dr. Giles
Judy Keirn
as Jan
J.P. Bumstead
as Man

Crew

More like this

What are movies like When She Was Bad...?

Movies like When She Was Bad... include I Smile Back (2015), Ed Gein (2000) and Clean, Shaven (1993). Of the 4 closest matches, half are corruption arc stories, and all are stories about parents and children.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

3 of these 4 share its subject: mental illness. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with When She Was Bad...?

3.6K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: melodrama. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.